EPIB The Scholars (Cohort 2)

Jenna is an occupational therapist in Edmond, OK. She graduated from OUHSC in 2008 with her Master of Occupational Therapy. She currently works with Edmond Public Schools providing occupational therapy services. Jenna is pursuing the DSc with hopes to grow leadership skills, continue on her lifelong learning path, and develop skills needed to raise the bar of excellence in school based occupational therapy services in Oklahoma. She hopes to continue her career path by teaching in higher education one day. 

Alyssa is from Brandon, SD and is currently entering her fifth year as a physical therapist for the Tea Area School District in Tea, SD.  She also works as a private contractor for the state’s Birth to 3 program.  As a participant in the DSc program and a grant scholar, she hopes to increase her leadership skills along with increasing her knowledge and skills for increasing meaningful participation for students with complex medical needs in the school system.  Eventually, she hopes to be able to share the knowledge she has gained from this program through a position in higher education.

Cyndi Selim is an occupational therapist based out of Peoria, Arizona where she lives with her husband and three boys. She is passionate about her role as a pediatric school based OT, enjoys performing evaluations and supervising COTAs for home based pediatric clients, as well as providing services for older adults in home health. She attended Brigham Young University, where she earned a BFA and Midwestern University, where she earned her MOT. As an EBIP scholar, she hopes to impact students and their families as they navigate the school system and their everyday lives, reduce disrupters to accessing services and assistance, and strengthen positive relationships between families and healthcare teams. 

Alissa McMullen Crump is from Pennsylvania. She graduated from the University of Scranton in 1990 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy. She began working at an inpatient brain injury facility from 1990-1995, while she pursued her Master’s Degree from the University of Indianapolis specializing in Adult and Pediatric Neurology. Alissa has been working with preschool and school-age students in school districts since 1995. Her passion is working with a birth-3 population, and she has also started to do some home health care recently. She lives with her husband Brandon, 6 children ages 5-15, and her mom and Pap Joe. Alissa began the DSc program in June to develop skills for leadership, improve the quality of physical therapy services using evidence-based practice, support students finding belonging in their communities and see where this journey will lead her. Alissa can’t wait for this journey and is appreciative of the opportunity to be part of the OU family.

Ashlee is an Occupational Therapist working as a pediatric home health, outpatient, and school therapist at Today’s Therapy Solutions. She currently serves families in the Midwest City, Choctaw, and Shawnee areas and schools in Luther and Harrah, OK. She graduated from the MOT program at OUHSC in 2019. She joined the DSc and EBIP program to develop the leadership skills and direct intervention skills to bring to the rural communities and schools she serves.   Additionally, she would like to become a better mentor and teacher for new therapists and fieldwork students, with the possibility of teaching at a university level in the future.   

Michael O’Grady earned a master of science degree in physical therapy in 2001.  He has worked in diverse settings including adult orthopedics, school-based physical therapy, outpatient pediatrics, and Early Intervention, as well as infant research.  Mike enjoys interdisciplinary clinical work and patient/family education.  He decided to apply for the DSc program to improve his skills and knowledge base so that he can teach at a university level.  His vision is to collaborate with families, children, practitioners, and communities to influence positive outcomes for kids with disabilities.  He has a special interest in positioning/mobility for optimal play among children with disabilities.  Mike lives in Charlottesville, VA, with his wife and two teenage children.

Paige is a pediatric school-based occupational therapist working in Asheville, NC. She graduated from Georgia State University’s inaugural master of occupational therapy program in Atlanta, GA in 2018. Paige worked for a private pediatric outpatient clinic for one and a half years before transitioning to school-based practice in the fall of 2020. She enjoys working out, spending time with friends and family, and playing in an adult recreational kickball league in her free time. She is passionate about helping young adults with disabilities and has a lifelong goal of creating a program to support adults with disabilities who have aged out of the school system. She is pursuing this program to develop her leadership skills and knowledge in the field in order to be an agent of change. Paige is very excited to see what she can accomplish with this program. 

Kim is an occupational therapist born and raised in south Florida.  She graduated from the University of Florida in 2002 with a Bachelor of Health Science in Occupational Therapy, and has primarily specialized in pediatric and school-based therapy during her years of practice.  She moved to Oklahoma in 2016 with her husband and two children where she continued to learn and grow by embracing opportunities to collaborate amongst incredible teams of healthcare providers.  She was inspired to pursue her DSc at the OUHSC in order to develop the skills necessary for advanced professional roles in leadership and education.  She has an unyielding passion for excellence in leadership and mentorship, while empowering others toward best practices in order to effect positive change for the students and families she serves.   

My name is Kynsie Goggans and I am from Midwest City, Oklahoma. I am currently a second-year physical therapy student. I have always had a desire to work with children in my future career and I am so excited for this opportunity to explore my passion for children, and learn how to best serve my future patients.  I have grown up in the public-school system my entire life, and it is my ultimate goal to be able to give back and provide physical therapy services to children in need. 

Brianna Travis is from Yukon, Oklahoma and is currently in the Occupational Therapy Program in OKC. She has a background in the medical field and also in child welfare. Brianna joined the EBIP program because she has a passion for working with children, and she wants to gain the knowledge to learn how to best serve children within the school and community settings. She is excited for the next few years in the EBIP program!

Bailey is from Elgin, Oklahoma and is currently in the Occupational Therapy Program in Oklahoma City. She is excited about being a part of the EBIP project and having the opportunity to discover new ways to support children through inclusion! She has always had a passion for working with children and is excited to see what the next two years will bring!

Nichole Drew is from Harrah, Oklahoma. She is currently in the Occupational Therapy program in OKC and is really enjoying it. Nichole applied for the grant program because she has a love and interest in working with children and is excited for the opportunity to explore this adventure. Helping kids is a huge passion of hers. She is looking forward to the next two years!!

Claire is from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and is currently in the Occupational Therapy program in Oklahoma City. Claire enjoys working with all levels of abilities and desires to create positive changes in the lives of all individuals. She applied for this program because she loves working with children and hopes to expand her knowledge on the pediatric field. She is very grateful for this opportunity!

Erin is from Edmond, OK. She applied to take part in this grant program because it seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore a unique setting of occupational therapy. Erin has a passion to help individuals of all abilities be comfortable and thrive in their environments and can’t wait to gain experience in the pediatric field. She is thankful and excited for this opportunity!

Baylee is from Tuttle, Oklahoma and is apart of the Occupational Therapy Program here at Oklahoma Health Science Center. Applying for this grant and having an opportunity to help create a more inclusive world where all children can participate equally was a dream come true for her. Baylee is thankful for this opportunity and is excited for all she is going to learn through this experience.

Alexis is from Washington, Oklahoma, and is pursuing a degree in occupational therapy at OUHSC. Her passion to serve children with disabilities started when she first volunteered at Special Olympics of Oklahoma in sixth grade. She hopes to make a difference in her future patients’ lives starting from a young age. She is very excited to take in all she can from this grant experience to better herself as a future practitioner and offer as much as she can to the kiddos she will work with in the future.